Building A Garage In Florida

By Jay Behm

Building a garage in Florida is different than other US locations because of the extreme coastal hurricane wind exposure and it usually will  require special engineering. Where calculations are required, it is necessary for the Professional Engineer (P.E) consultant to review, mark-up, stamp and sign (certify) the garage plans and calculations submitted for the building permit application. The plan revisions required usually involve adding or upgrading hold-down anchors and strapping hardware and revising door and window frame details for extreme wind pressures.
Additionally, Florida has its own building code,  the FBC (Florida Building Code).  Behm Design plans (and most others' stock plans) do not reference the FBC.  Due to state-by-state professional licensing requirements, Behm Design Garage Plans cannot provide such additional engineering.  If you buy a Behm Design garage plan an cannot use it, you can return or cancel  plans for refund.    
                         
 If additional engineering is required, Behm Design garage plans are now available as electronic PDF downloads which may be easier for a consulting engineer or architect to work with in providing the additional engineering analysis and documentation. We have had many customers do this with our garage plans in Washington, where wind and seismic issues  require further design for extreme conditions. "Consulting Engineers" are listed in yellow pages and some of them work on small projects of this type. Also, builders and contractors are likely to have consultants for such work. Costs vary from a few hundred dollars to over a thousand, depending on location and work required. Although more costly than using just the straight stock garage plans it may still be the least expensive, if not only, way to get permittable and buildable garage plans in a difficult, high risk location/region.
                     
You can easily learn about  hurricane  requirements from your local building dept. or inspector. That is always the best source for correct and accurate information. Everything is spelled out in the building code so you can know what will be needed before you start planning the project and
purchasing garage plans. You can also call Jay Behm @ 1-800-210-6776 if you have questions.